Correction as of 7:35p.m.ET on 12/22/2022:
An earlier version of this story said that Charlamagne admitted to giving Reid alcohol when she was underaged. Representatives for the popular radio personality have denied that claim and changes have been made to reflect that.
Those representatives have also issued additional statements to The Root clarifying certain details pertaining to this suit:
“This is a self-filed lawsuit that is meritless and will be dismissed. She [Jessica Reid, the woman filing the suit] is representing herself.
He [Charlamagne Tha God] has NEVER admitted to giving her alcohol. He does not know Ms. Reid. He never handed her alcohol.”
See original story below.
It looks like The Breakfast Club host Charlamagne Tha God may be in for a forthcoming legal battle as it’s been revealed that he’s at the center of a new federal sexual assault lawsuit.
According to HipHopDX, the popular personality is being sued by Jessica Reid who alleged that Charlamagne (legal name Lenard McKelvey) “willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously” engaged in “penile/vaginal intercourse with a fifteen-year-old female child” when he was 22-year-old back in 2001.
At the time, Charlamagne allegedly pled guilty to a lesser charge of “contributing to the delinquency of a minor” after providing an underaged Reid with alcohol and subsequently served three years of probation. However, Charlamagne’s DNA was reportedly never found in rape kit test results that was later performed on Reid.
More from the suit, per HipHopDX:
“Ms. Reid has tried to get justice, but to no avail. And to make matters worse, everyone that Ms. Reid reached out to, including iHeartRadio, ignored her and still allowed Charlamagne to speak on their platform. Every time Ms. Reid turns on the radio and hears his voice, sees him on TV, and walks past his books in the stores, she is reminded of what Charlamagne did to her.”
Michael Weinsten, the attorney representing Charlamagne has since responded, saying in a statement: “We are confident that Ms. Reid’s meritless civil lawsuit in which she represents herself will be promptly dismissed. This is the same sexual assault claim that was fully investigated and dismissed by authorities in South Carolina more than 21 years ago. It is also the same matter that Ms. Reid tried to re-open in 2018 that the South Carolina Solicitor General declined to re-open, suggesting among other things it was ‘not ethical’ to do so.”